Golf game



July 4, 1939. B1. A. EVERETT GOLF GAME Filed Sept. 28, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 4, 1939.

B. A. EVERETT GOLF GAME Filed Sept. 28, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 4, 1939 UNITED STATES FATENT GFFICE 6 Claims.

My invention relates to an improved green for the game of golf and relates more particularly to a green designed for practice, instruction, or for the playing of a miniature game of golf although readily adaptable for use as the regular greens for a full-sized golf course.

The game of golf has developed swiftly in recent years and with it have developed the quality of golf equipment, of courses and of play. The driving range, where the drive and longer shots of golf may be practiced are familiar sights and have no doubt contributed no little to the increasn ing interest in the game and to the increasing excellence of the quality of play. However, the driving range is deiicient in that it provides no means for the practice of the shorter pitch shots or the well known chip shot. Even the golf clubs, which almost universally provide a green for the practice of putting and a practice tee for the practice of the longer shots, provide no adequate means for practising the shorter pitch and chip shots. Instead, the player is forced to practice playing these shots to one of the regular greens of the course which not only interferes with the play on the course but also affords him no accurate means of noting any improvement in his play.

My device contemplates providing a green for the practice of these shots. Preferably the green will be formed of the same material as the regular course greens,- if it is used in connection with a golf club, so that the practice will be of more value to the player in his subsequent play on the course. In any event, the texture of the green should be closely analogous to that of a standard green so that the bounce and roll of the ball after it lands on the green will be closely allied to the bounce and roll of a like shot to a standard green. From a practical point of view my green will be considerably smaller than the usual standard green but if it is desired, it may be enlarged to any desired size if it is to be used for practising the longer pitch shots in the execution of which a high degree of accuracy is almost uniformly lacking in the average player. My green is designed to provide means whereby the accuracy of each shot may be instantly determined and whereby a record may be readily made of each days practice to determine the amount of improvement.

Another feature of the invention is that it may comprise an adjunct to amusement parks, fairs and the like where it provides a game of skill which may be played by a number of players.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved practice green having a playing surface closely akin to that of the usual golf green.

A further object is to provide a green for the playing of amusement games of skill based on the game of golf.

A further object is to provide a novel game of skill for use with my novel green.

A. further object is to provide a practice green for the instruction of novices and which embodies means whereby the improvement in the novices play may be readily noted and recorded.

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular structure of my green, combination and arrangement of the various parts and in the particular method of operation-all of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the drawings and the detailed description to follow.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a reduced plan view partly broken showing my improved green together with one form of the tee and fairway;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a zone defining member for a green;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional View taken substantially on the line 4 4, of Figure l.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail View showing one form of arrangement of one of the cups; and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing an alternative arrangement.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like reference characters have been used throughout to designate like parts, I0 indicates my green, II the tee, I2 the fairway and I3 a bunker or other hazard which is interposed on the fairway between the tee and green. While I have shown a particular form of fairway, tee and hazard, it is obvious that any other suitable forms could be substituted therefor.

The green I0 comprises a symmetrical area the surface of which is divided into a plurality of zones I4 by concentric members I5. Suitable cups I5 are provided on each concentric member I5 and a cup II may be provided at the center of the green I0. While I have shown the green I!! and the concentric members I5 as being circular and' annular respectively, it is obvious that they could assume any other well known symmetrical geometric forms. Moreover, while the cups I6 and II are shown as being aligned with the tee, it is obvious that any other suitable arrangement could be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Suitable covers 30 may be used to close the cups in bad Weather or when they are not being used.

Referring to Figure 2, it is seen that the members I5 are composed of a plurality of segments I8 and I9 the former of which may be and preferably are connected together in any suitable manner as by the hinges 20. The cups I6 are interposed between adjacent ends of companion segments I@ or I9 as shown in Figure 2 and are preferably connected thereto in any suitable manner as by the hinges 2| (Figure 6). However, if desired, the annular members I5 may be composed of sections I8a which simply abut cups Ia and are not connected thereto (see Figure 6). Obviously, cups such as Ia may be positioned wherever desired in reference to members I5.

The segments I8 and I9 are formed of suitable sheet material bent to a suitable shape. If it is desired, the edges thereof may be beaded and reinforced in any suitable manner.

In forming the green, the members I5, together with the cups IS and Il are arranged in position as shown in Figure 2 and the spaces around the said members and cups are filled with any suitable material 22, such as sod, sand, clay, linters, sawdust, hulls or any well known material for forming standard greens. The upper edges of the members I5 may extend slightly above the surface oi the green material 22 or they may be flush therewith but the upper edges of the cups should be slightly below the surface so that the entry of the ball thereinto will not be impeded.

It is to be noted that each member I5 is provided with two cups I6. Each pair of cups I5 may be connected with separate ball return conduits 23, Se and 23h, by means of branch conduits 24, 24a and 2412'. The cup I'I which is in the center of the green IEI has a separate ball return conduit 25. In the form shown, there are three conduits Z3, 23a and 23h or one for each pair of cups I6. Obviously, the number of cups I6, members I5 and conduits may be increased or decreased as desired. In playing the game, each zene Il! is assigned a given value as shown and balls lying in the zones at the end of play are knocked into the cups along that member I5 which defines the inner limit of the zone or into the cup Il? if they are in the center Zone. Thus, if a player plays 4 balls and places one in each zone, his total score is readily ascertained when the balls are returned according to the particular conduit by which each is returned. Suitable compartments 2t are provided at the end of each conduit 23, 23a, 23h and 25 so that the balls will be kept separate after they have been returned.

If more than one player is playing each player will have a set of balls having individual marks thereon so that they may be readily identified and the proper score determined when all of the players have ceased play and all of the balls are returned. When the device is used for practice, the novice may play a given number of balls daily and then by keeping track of his daily scores can note the improvement, if any, in his game. Thus the novice will be able to keep an accurate check on his play for this particular type of shot.

While the ball return conduits are not absolutely essential, I have found that they tend to speed up play in that a caddy or attendant may preside near the green and return the balls by knocking them intoy the proper cup. It is thus noted, that I do not contemplate using my green as a putting green but it is obvious that it can be so used if desired and that any suitable rules governing play can be adopted. Moreover, while I have shown but a single tee, it is obvious that any suitable number of tees at varying distances from the green may be provided so' that practice may be had for shots of different length.

Suitable mechanical or electrical means may be provided if desired in the conduits 23a, 23h and 25 for registering the scores of each player for each series of shots.

While I have shown and described what is now believed to be the approved embodiment of the invention, it is not my intention to limit myself to the precise structure shown and described as it is readily apparent that it is susceptible of other forms without departing from the spirit oi' the invention and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A golf green comprising a surface formed of any suitable material, a substantially centrally disposed sunken cup in said green, a plurality of different sized and substantially annular members concentrically arranged around said cup, said members being sunk in said green with their upper edges substantially iiush with the surface thereof, each of said members comprising a plurality of segments, at least one sunken cup between adjacent segments of each member, means connecting said cups to the adjacent segments, and means connecting the remaining adjacent segments of each member to each other.

2. The structur-e of claim l, separate conduit means connected to the bottoms of each of said cups, said conduits leading to grouped separate containers located remotely of said green.

3. The structure of claim l, and said means connecting adjacent segments of each member to each other and to said cups comprising hinges.

4. A golf green comprising a surface of suitable material, a substantially centrally disposed sunken cup therein, a plurality of different sized and substantially annular members concentrically arranged around said cup, said members being sunk in the green with their upper edges substantially flush with its surface, each of said members comprising a plurali-ty of segments, and

at least one sunken cup between adjacent segments of each member,

5. A golf green comprising a foundation of loose material piled on a ground surface and simulating the standard green, a series of mutually independent annular concentric strips of sheet form embedded vertically in said foundation at spaced intervals to conne and support the foundation material therebetween and to denne zones of play, the upper edges of said strips being substantially iiush with the foundation surface and lying in a common horizontal plane, and ball receiving cups embedded in said foundation in association with the respective zones.

6. The structure of claim 5, and a ball return conduit connected to the bottom of each cup and leading through the foundation to points remote from the green.

BENJAMIN A. EVERET'I'. 

